In Letter to Legislators, Governor Rendell Endorses Redistricting Reform Legislation
HARRISBURG
-- Governor Edward G. Rendell Friday urged the chairmen of the House and Senate State Government committees to consider legislation that would change how Pennsylvania redraws its legislative district boundaries following the federal census.
“The Commonwealth’s existing redistricting process undermines democracy by institutionalizing a powerful system of incumbent protection,” Governor Rendell wrote in a letter to Sens. Anthony H. Williams (D-Philadelphia) and Jeffrey Piccola (R-Dauphin), and Reps. Babette Josephs (D-Philadelphia) and Mathew E. Baker (R-Bradford). “For every vote to truly count, we must have competitive elections where voters have the opportunity to choose between viable candidates. I am convinced that the only way to ensure meaningful elections is to take politics out of the process of drawing legislative boundaries.
“This issue is neither arcane nor academic; how we draw legislative boundaries impacts the daily lives of Pennsylvanians because competitive elections in rationally drawn districts are the only way that voters can make their voices heard on the issues that matter to them,” he said.
This is not the first time the Governor has called for drastic change in the state’s redistricting process. More than a year ago, at an appearance before the Pennsylvania Press Club, Governor Rendell called for creation of a nine-member citizens’ commission that would be charged with redrawing legislative boundaries.
With the citizens’ commission, districts would be required to be drawn based on population; deviations from the most populous to the least populous would not be greater than 8 percent, he said. Also, counties, cities, towns, boroughs and incorporated towns would not be divided unless it became unavoidable.
While emphasizing in today’s letter that his support for redistricting is not a criticism of any legislator or legislative body, he again said, “…people should be choosing their representatives, not the other way around.”
By acting now on bills pending before the General Assembly, the Governor said redistricting reform would make it possible to amend the Pennsylvania Constitution and allow changes to be made before district borders are redrawn following the 2010 U.S. Census.
Legislative reapportionment wasn’t the only thing the Governor said lawmakers needed to reform last year. He also said changes needed to be made to give the public and the media a wider look at the business functions of state government.
In February, after working with the General Assembly, Governor Rendell signed Senate Bill 1 into law and drastically improved the public’s access to state government records. In April, the Governor appointed Terry Mutchler to lead the new Office of Open Records created under the new law.
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